Nigeria is a member of the International Telecommunication Union, ITU, and it is madatory that the country must migrate from analogue broadcasting to digital.
It seems, however, that the project of migrating to digital broadcasting has seen multiple delays than actual implementation since inception.
Initially set for completion by 2015, ten years later, the project has missed many deadlines, with only partial implementation in six states- Plateau, FCT, Enugu, Osun, Kwara and Kaduna, as of December 2023.
Interestingly, in August 2024, President Bola Tinubu quietly approved another ₦10 billion grant to accelerate the DSO process. The funding aims to lease transponders, establish a satellite backbone for nationwide signal coverage, support audience measurement, enhance content production, distribute digital set-top boxes, and launch the FreeTV app.
Stakeholders are concerned about the project’s transparency and execution and emphasise the need for an open, straightforward, and transparent approach to ensure digital access for all Nigerians.
With more than ₦53 billion invested in the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project, managed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), it has faced multiple delays since its inception.
Despite these efforts, stakeholders have raised concerns about the project’s transparency and execution.
Professor Armstrong Idachaba, former acting Director-General of NBC, emphasized the need for a straightforward and transparent approach to ensure digital access for all Nigerians.
With over ₦53 billion invested to date, and with an additional ₦3 billion accrued as Digital Access Fee (DAF), one wonders why the challenges persist, as many now see the project as a conduit for raking funds from government coffers without accountability.
Full implementation of the DSO promises improved picture and sound quality, a broader selection of channels, and enhanced flexibility with portable and mobile reception.
Is it too much to ask the government for a definitive timeline for when broadcasters nationwide will fully benefit from the project?
Significant investments have been made to advance Nigeria’s digital broadcasting capabilities, the project’s completion, and its benefits for broadcasters are still pending after blowing N53 billion.
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